Gerneth



Nov. 23, 1954 J. GERNETH Y ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF PATIENTS Filed April 18 1950 4 Sheeics-$heet @WAY/Qa ATTORNEHS ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF PATIENTS Filed April 18, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO R: jose!! Gerne ATTOI'LNBS J. GERN ETH Nov. 23, 1954 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF' PATIENTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 18 1950 INVENTOR:

josef Ger/76% B5 q'r'rorLNEsS J. GERNETH Nov. 23, 1954 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF PATIENTS Filed April 18,

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR: Joef Ger/veil;

ATTofLNESs United States Patent ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FORTHE EXAMINATION F PATIENTS Josef Gerneth, Erlangen, Germany Application April 18, 1950, Serial No. 156,519

25 Claims. (Cl. 250-57) This invention relates to an apparatus for the examination of patients, which includes a system or unit rotatable about a horizontal axis; said system carries a source of X-ray and a bed or support for the patient, as well as a screen or image carrier.

In prior art, devices of this type consisted of heavy and complicated parts, and were quite expensive and difficult to construct. Furthermore, their mounting was not steady or secure, and their operation often involved concussions or shakings which were most detrimental to patients and X-ray tubes.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate these drawbacks and to provide an electrotherapeutic apparatus of the described type which is securely mounted and may be conveniently manipulated without vibrations.

ther objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following speciiication.

The objects of the present invention may be realized through the provision of an electrotherapeutic apparatus of the described type, wherein the guides for the rotary system are located upon a circle in a single plane extending at right angles to the axis of rotation, the diameter of the circle being at least equal to the length of the patients bed or support.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following, detailed description, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings showing, by way of example,

Vpreferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the same apparatus on a somewhat larger scale;

Figure 3 is a front view of a somewhat diierently con- Structed apparatus;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the apparatus shown in Figure 3, along the line IV-IV of 'Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side View of the apparatus shown in Figures 3 and 4;

Figure 6 is similar to Figure 3, and shows the apparatus in a different position.

The drawings illustrate the device diagrammatically and those parts which are not essential for the understanding of the invention have been left out. The same numerals designate the same parts throughout the draw- 1n s.

gIhe apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 includes a pair of elongated rails or supports 1, which are mounted upon the floor 2, and are also iirmly attached to the wall 3. Short distancing members 4 are carried by the rails 1 at suitable distances from each other, and carry two U- shaped rails 6 which are firmly connected to the distancing members 4 and the supports 1 by means of the bolts 6a. The rails 6 carry a ring-shaped steel tube 5 which is irmly attached to the rails 6 by any suitable means, not shown in the drawings. The ring 5 constitutes the support and the guide over a closed path for four rollers 7 which roll upon the ring 5. The rollers 7 are mounted at the four corners of a rectangular frame 8. Thus, the frame 8 constitutes a carriage which may be rotated about an imaginary central axis A--A which constitutes the center of the ring 5. As shown in Figure 2, the rollers 7 are guided by the steel ring S within a plane designated by the letters E E.

t It is apparent that the steel ring 5 may be held in place by other means, namely, it may be mounted upon columns or be attached solely to the wall, thereby eliminating its mounting upon the floor.

The frame 8 and the rollers 7 carried thereby may be made immovable while the ring 5 may be constructed so as to rotate.

A motor 9 is enclosed by a metal casing 9a which is irmly connected to the rotary frame 8. The shaft of the motor 9 (not shown) drives, through the medium of a gear box 10a, a gear 10 which meshes with the teeth of a toothed segment 11 firmly mounted upon the ring 5 by any suitable means not shown in the drawings. The gear 10 is also located Within the casing 9a.

The frame 8 carries a pair of iron bars 12 which constitute a traverse located to one side and beyond the frame 8. A second electric motor 13 is mounted upon the bars 12 and is movable thereon in a manner similar to that of a crane carriage. The shaft 13a of the motor 13 drives a gear 14 which is rotatable along with a pinion 14a. The pinion 14a meshes with the teeth of a toothed bar'15 which is firmly connected to the bars 12. The motor 13 is supplied with electric current by rails (not shown) which are also connected to the hars 12, and are located in the plane of the toothed rack i5. The lower portions of the 1oars 12 serve as guides for the rollers of a carriage 16 which carries the X-ray tube 17 and the tube casing 18. Thus, the carriage 16, along with the parts carried thereby, also is similar to a crane carriage.

The two carriages constituted by the motor 13 and the member 16 are attached, by any suitable means not shown in the drawings, to an endless band 2i?. The endless band 2i) passes over rollers 20a which are rotatably mounted in the bars 12.

The carriage 16 is rigidly connected with an elongated guide rod 19, which consists of two elongated rails that are U-shaped in cross-section, and which are mounted opposite each other to form a space 19a between these rails.v The two rails are joined at both ends. A pivot 21 extends through the slot 19a and is mounted in a frame member Sa constituting a part of the frame 8. It is apparent that the guide rod 19 is slidable and swingable in relation to the pivot 2l. The lower end of the guide rod 19 is connected by casing 23. The casing 23 contains the container 24 for the image carrier and a protective screen 25 which may be made of lead, or the like. The casing or carriage 23 is slidable upon the under side of the .patients bed or support 22. This connection is a standard one, and is not shown in further detail in the drawings.

The bed or body support for the patient to be examined consists of the body-supporting member 22 and a footsupport 26, which is perpendicular thereto. The distances between the bed 22 and the pivot 21 may be changed through the provision of a device which is not shown in the drawings, whereby the bed 22 may be raised or lowered by turning a hand wheel 22a.

The carriage 23 for the image carrier is covered at the bottom by the bridge-like casing 27. The inner end of the guide rod 19 projects into the hollow chamber formed in the casing 27.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

After the examining physician has completed his preparations, and when the bed 22 has been placed at the desired level, the electric motor 9 is switched on by any suitable means, such as by-'means of a hand-operated switch, not shown in the drawings. The motor 9 will actuate the gears in the gear box 10a, and will drive the gear 10 which meshes with the tooth-crowned segment 11. Since the toothed segment 11 is firmly connected to the immovable ring 5 the rotation of the gear 10 will cause the motor 9, with all the parts connected thereto, including the frame 8 of the bed 22, to move upon the toothed segment 11, thereby carrying out a rotary movement about an imaginary central axis A in the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. This movement continues as long as the motor 9 is energized, namely, until the patient lying upon the bed 22 is moved to the desired position, whereupon the motor 9 is switched off.

Then, the operator switches on the motor 13, preferably by means of a foot switch not shown in the drawings. The motor 13 will rotate the pinion 14a through 13a and 14, and, since the pinion means of a pivot 21a to a 14a meshes with the toothed bar 15, this rotation of the pinion 14a will cause the motor 13 to go -along the bar 15 to the right (looking in the direction of Figure 1) in a manner similar to that of a crane carriage. Since the endless band 2t) is connected with the motor 13 it will be actuated by the movement of the motor and will move the carriage 16 which is also connected to the band 20. Since the carriage 16 is connected to the X-ray tube 17, the casing 18 and the upper end of the guide rod 19., these parts will move to the left until they assume the position shown by broken lines in Figure l.

In the course of this movement the tube 17 is moved along the straight member 29 and, at the same time, `is turned about an axis designated by the numeral 28in Figure 1. This rotary movement is caused 'by the guide rod 19 which embraces the immovable pivot 21, annd the angular path of which is equal approximately to 55 The guide rod 19 will move the image carrier 23 along a straight line. The X-ray tube 17 is switched on during these movements so that the X-ray image of the patient is produced in the usual manne O The masses of the frame 13 and the parts `carried thereby are all balanced in each of their positions in relation to the rotary axis A. To this end the motor 9 and its gears 10 and 10a are located upon one side oi the .frame while the bed 22, 26 is located on the opposite side of the frame. The masses of the first crane-like carriage, constituted by the motor 13 and the gears connected therewith, are attached to a part of the endless band which is located symmetrically opposite to the part of the band engaged by the second crane-like carriage, constituted by the members 16 to 1S, as far as the center of gravity of the endless band system is concerned. As the masses of these opposed parts are the same the center of gravity of the parts rotating about the axis 28 will remain the same during the turning motion thereof. l

The apparatus shown in Figures 3 to 6 of the drawings includes two elongated, profiled, iron rails 32 which extend along a wall 31 and are firmly connected thereto. Short distancing pieces 33 are attached to the rails 32 and carry two supporting rails 34 which are iirmly connected to the immovable, rigid ring 35.

In this construction also, the ring 35 serves as a .support and guide for a rotary frame 37 which is essentially rectangular in form, and which carries at its four corners rollers 36 which roll upon the ring 35. The theoretical axis of rotation of the frame 37 is designated by the letter A in the drawings. It is apparent that the frame 37, with the parts connected therewith, constitute a main rotary system, which is rotatable about the axis A by means of the rollers 36.

As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the frame 37 is integral, or firmly connected, with upper and lower projecting supports 38, each of which carries a separate bearing support 39. The supports 39 constitute casings for ball bearings. The lower ball bearings ars shown in section in Figure 3, and include balls 40 carrying a supporting plate 41. A similar construction, not shown in the drawings, is provided upon the upper end of the frame 3.7. The bearing plates 41 are connected with two iron rails 42 which are U-shaped in cross-section, and which extend between the two supports 39. Two tubular columns 43 are also connected to the bearing plates 41, and also extend between the supports 39. The center of the bearing plates 41 coincides with its axis of rotation, which is designated by the line B-B in the drawings. Thus, the rails 42 and the columns 43, with the bearings connected therewith, constitute the first auxiliary rotary system.

The image carrier 51 and the patients bed 53, are all located outside of the plane B-E of rotation of -the main rotary system. This has the advantage that all these parts are easily accessible from all sides.

The U-shaped rails 42 of the above-described rst auxiliary rotary system constituted b y the parts 41 to 43 serve as guides for a carriage 44 which is movable in the direction of the arrows b shown in Figures 3 ando. The carriage 44 consists of a rectangular 'frame with sliding supports mounted upon the four corners thereof. These supports receive the two guide rods '45 of a second carriage 46, which is carried by the first carriage 44. The second carriage 46 is movable in the direction of the arrows c shown in Figure 4. The carriage 46 'is firmly connected with a fork-like support 47 for the X-ray tube 48. The carriage 46 is also connected with guide rods 49 which carry the casing 50 for the image carrier or luminous screen 51 and the protective screen 52, which may be made of lead or the like, and which serves to prevent the passage of stray X-rays. The frame 46 is rectangular and serves as a sliding support for the two guide rods 49. Thus, the carriage 50 with members 49, 51 and 52 is slidably mounted in the frame 46, and constitutes a third carriage which is movable in the direction of the arrows d shown in Figure 4.

In addition to the above-described rst auxiliary rotary system, there is provided a second auxiliary rotary system which includes, essentially, the patients bed 53, its side walls 54, the cover plate 55, the foot plate 56 and the two rotary pivots 57, which are rotatably mounted in the above-described bearing plates 41 of the two ball bearings located in the casings 39. The axis of rotation of this second auxiliary system is designated by the letters C-C in Figures 5 and 6.

Figure 6 shows the apparatus in a position wherein the main rotary system, consisting of the parts 36 to 57, has been rotated counter-clockwise about the axis A to the extent of the angle a, while the first auxiliary rotary system, consisting of the parts 41 to 43, and the second auxiliary rotary system, consisting of the parts 53 to 57, have both been rotated clockwise about their respective axes B and C to the extent of A patient lying upon the bed 53 must be fastened to the bed 53 by belts, cords or any other means and, thereupon, the main rotary system s turned to the desired position. Then the X-ray tube 49 and the image carrier means 49 to 50 are set to a position which is required for illumination or photography.

The masses of the movable parts of this apparatus, shown in Figures 3 to 6, are also balanced to a great extent. By way of example, a balancing weight, not shown in the drawings, is provided within each of the two tubular columns 43. This weight is connected by wires to upper and lower ends of the carriage 44, and is guided over rollers mounted in the ends of the columns 43 (not show-n).

Furthermore, the rotary axis C of the second auxiliary rotary system, 53 to 57, is located outside of the rotary axis B of the first auxiliary rotary system, 41 to 52, to such an extent that at least the rear wall of the patients bed 53 in its horizontal position (the so-called trochoscopic position) is located at least upon the same level as the rotary axis B of the aforesaid first auxiliary rotary system.

It is apparent that the described devices require the least possible amount of parts and masses, while providing the greatest possible stability and security, which .is attained primarily by the manner of guiding and supporting the described main rotary system.

It is apparent that the described manner of guiding and supporting these .rotary systems is equally suitable for all electrotherapeutical apparatusfor example, for illuminating and examining by means of elect-roue radiation, neutral radiation or ultra sound radiation, or for electromagnetic radiation.

In the event the apparatus described in Figures 3 to 6 is attached to a wall and is designed for the investigation of stomach ailments, it would be advisable to provide underneath the apparatus a comparatively free space 58 (Fig. 3). This is particularly advantageous when the main rotary system is to be rotated to all positions in which Athe axes B and C extend horizontally. Then the attendants will be `able to remove easily dirt, excrement and other impurities which are usually unavoidable in examinations of this nature, particularly if the patent is to be subjected to enema or irrigation.

The above-described examples are given solely by way of illustration and not lby way of limitation, and, as is apparent, they are subject to many variations and modiiications without departing from the scope `of the Apresent invention. All `such variations and modications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

.1. An electrical examination apparatus of the type having a'source of radiation, 'said .apparatus comprising a patients bed, a frame, means connecting said source and said'bed. to said frame, an immovable ring 'and Yguiding 'elements connected with `said frame and slidably engaging said ring for rotating said frame `with the Asource and the zbed upo'nrsaid immovable ring and tabout'the axis 5 thereof.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said ring consists of a single solid ring having a diameter which is at least equal to the length of said patients bed.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said apparatus further comprising rails for strengthening said ring, said ring being mounted on said rails.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said apparatus further comprising columns carrying said ring.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said apparatus further comprising distancing members carrying said ring, and a plurality of separated supports carrying said distancing members.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said guiding elements engage said ring at at least three substantially equally spaced locations.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said frame is rectangular in form and wherein each of said guiding elements is connected to a separate corner of said rectangular frame.

An apparatus in accordance with claim l, wherein the masses of said frame and of the parts carried thereby are balanced in each position in relation to said axis.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim l, said apparatus further comprising a toothed member mounted upon said ring, a gear meshing with said toothed member, and a motor mounted upon said frame and driving said gear.

10. An apparatus in accordance with claim l, wherein the distance between diametrically opposed guiding elements corresponds to the length of said patients bed.

11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said source of radiation consists of an X-ray tube, said apparatus further comprising an X-ray image carrier connected to said frame along with the X-ray tube and the patients bed.

l2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, said apparatus further comprising a carriage carrying said X-ray source, an endless belt mounted upon one side of said frame and connected with said carriage for moving the same, a motor carried by said frame and connected with said endless belt for driving the belt, said carriage, said endless belt and said motor being located upon the same side of said frame, a guide rod having one end connected with said carriage and another end connected with said image carrier, said image carrier being movably mounted upon the opposite side of said frame, said patients bed being also mounted upon said opposite side of the frame, said guide rod being swingably mounted intermediate its ends upon said frame to provide opposed movement of the carriage and the image carrier.

13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1l, wherein the means connecting the source, the patients bed and the image carrier with the frame provide rotation of the source and the image carrier about an axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the system and also provide rotation of the patients bed about another axis perpendicular to said rotation axis.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim l, wherein said guiding elements are located upon a circle in a single plane which is perpendicular to said axis, said circle being at least equal to the length of said patients bed.

apparatus in accordance with claim 14, said apparatus further comprising means maintaining the rotary frame outside of the plane of said circle.

16. An electrical examination apparatus of the type having an X-ray source and an X-ray image carrier located opposite said X-ray source, a frame, means firmly connecting said X-ray source and said image carrier to said frame, whereby said frame, said X-ray source and said image carrier are movable as a single unit, a ring having a horizontal axis, a toothed member mounted upon said ring, a gear meshing with said toothed member, and a motor mounted upon said frame and driving said gear.

17. An electrical examination apparatus of the type having an X-ray source, an X-ray image carrier located opposite said X-ray source, said apparatus comprising a patients bed located adjacent said image carrier, a frame, an endless belt mounted upon one side of said frame, a carriage carrying said X-ray source and connected for movement with said endless belt, a motor carried by said frame, means connecting said motor with said endless belt for actuating the same, said motor, said carriage and said endless belt being located upon the same side of said frame, a guide rod having one end connected with said carriage, a holder for said image carrier, said holder being connected with the other end of said guide rod and being movably mounted upon the opposite side of said frame, said patients bed being connected with said holder, a ring having a horizontal axis, and guiding elements connected with said frame and engaging said ring, whereby said frame with the source, the image carrier and the bed is rotated upon said ring.

18. An electrical examination apparatus of the type having an X-ray source and an X-ray image carrier located opposite said X-ray source, said apparatus comprising a patients bed located adjacent said image carrier, a frame, a ring having a horizontal axis, guiding elements connected with said frame and engaging said ring, whereby said frame is rotated upon said ring, and means operatively connecting said frame with said source, said image carrier and said bed and maintaining said source and said bed outside of the plane of rotation of said frame.

19. An electrical examination apparatus of the type having an X-ray source and an X-ray image carrier locate-:i opposite said X-ray source, said apparatus comprising a patients bed located adjacent said image carrier, a frame, a ring having a horizontal axis, guiding elements connected with said frame and engaging said ring, whereby said t'rame is rotated upon said ring, means supporting said X-ray source and said image carrier for rotation about a vertical axis, means supporting said patients bed for rotation about another vertical axis, and means supporting the first-mentioned and the second-mentioned means upon said frame.

20. An apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein the rst-mentioned means include a carriage carrying said image carrier, a second carriage carrying the X-ray tube and the first-mentioned carriage, and a third carriage carrying the iirst-mentioned and second-mentioned carriages, said three carriages being movable at right angles to each other.

21. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20, comprising rails carrying the third-mentioned carriage and extending parallel, and symmetrically to the axis of rotation of the iirst-mentioned means.

22. An apparatus in accordance with claim 21, wherein said patients bed comprises a rear wall which in its horizontal position is level with the axis of rotation of the first-mentioned means.

23. An electrical apparatus for producing patients images of the type having a source of rays and a patients bed, said apparatus comprising an annular guide comprising a guide ring element having a diameter which is at least equal to the length of the patients bed, and a guide member element, means firmly supporting one of said elements, means rotating the other one of said elements relatively to the first element about a central axis of the annular guide, and means operatively connecting the other one of said elements with said source and said bed and maintaining said source and said bed outside of the plane of rotation of said other element.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said source of rays is an X-ray tube, said apparatus further comprising an X-ray image carrier connected along with the X-ray tube and the patients bed with the other element of the annular guide.

25. An electrical apparatus for producing patients images of the type having a source of rays, an image carrier and a patients bed, said apparatus comprising an annular guide comprising a guide ring element having a diameter which is at least equal to the length of the patients bed, and a guide member element, means firmly supporting one of said elements, means rotating the other one of said elements relatively to the iirst element about a central axis of the annular element, means operatively connecting the other one of said elements with said source, said image carrier and said bed, and means moving said source relatively to said image carrier during illumination to provide upon the image carrier sharp images of sections through the patient.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,333,349 Stirckler Mar. 9, 1920 1,573,571 Pohl Feb. 16, 1926 1,596,382 Spiro et al Aug. 17, 1926 1,599,696 Wantz Sept. 14, 1926 2,103,693 Pohl Dec. 28, 1937 

